Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt today declined Tulsa City Councilor John Eagleton’s request for investigation and ouster of Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett.
Eagleton said, “I’m profoundly disappointed. I am not going public with what I perceive are my options, but the ouster process is over.”
The decision by the Attorney General is posted online (click here for PDF) and reads in part, “after careful study of the law and facts, I have determined that even had the jurisdiction of this Office been properly invoked, the law and facts relevant to the several alleged grounds for Ouster do not support bringing of an action for Ouster. Accordingly, your request for an investigation and civil action for Ouster is respectfully declined.”
Eagleton said, “You don’t appeal the AG’s decision on this, he is the last word on this effort.”
Tulsa Today’s multiple calls to the AG’s office have not been returned as of this posting.
Eagleton said, “I am not going to speculate on the motives or the reasons why. I will simply state that I do not concur with the conclusion.
“The Ouster Affidavit verbiage utilized was pulled directly from the statute that authorizes the ouster process so when the Attorney General’s decision says the Ouster Affidavit did not state emphatically or conclude that the facts occurred but merely requested an investigation of the facts – that is what the statute commanded,” Eagleton said.
“[Attorney General Scott Pruitt] has reached conclusions on several of the basis for ouster without discussing the facts with the principle witnesses or litigants so he really just reached a conclusion that there wasn’t a basis for ouster without really conducting an investigation. Wow. What a concept,” Eagleton said adding, “The Age-of-Bartlett will continue.”
The question of how the Attorney General could conduct a “careful study” of “facts” without talking to witnesses remains an open question. Within the decision it is noted that the Attorney General’s Office did review records voluntarily provided by Mayor Bartlett.
As more information becomes available, this story will be updated.